# Local AI orchestrator with computer and browser access > Source: > Published: 2026-06-25 08:02:24+00:00 **Zeus is a local AI agent orchestrator with a real UI.** Install once, run `zeus start` , and you get a fast, terminal-inspired web app — on your laptop *and* your phone — where AI agents can actually *do things on your machine*: read and write files, run commands, drive a real browser, search the web, manage tasks, run scheduled jobs, and orchestrate teams of sub-agents. One tool for everything you need to control your computer. Everything lives in `~/.zeus` . No cloud account, no telemetry, no lock-in — your agents, skills, memory, and workspaces are plain human-editable files on your own disk. ``` ./install.sh # one-time setup zeus start # launch the server + open the web UI ``` Most agent projects are a **library or a terminal loop**. Zeus is a **complete application**: **It has a real, beautiful UI**— a vanilla-JS, no-build web app with a command palette, theming, live streaming, and inline HTML/SVG previews. Not a CLI you squint at.**It runs on your phone.** The UI is an installable PWA with a mobile-first nav, and`zeus start --tailscale` puts it on your private tailnet so you can drive your computer's agents from anywhere — securely, never exposed to the public internet.**Agents control the whole machine, with a UI for it.** Files, shell, a dedicated automated**Chromium** the agent drives by vision, web search, an embedded terminal, a file explorer, a code editor, git — all in one place.**It's an orchestrator, not just an agent.** Sub-agent delegation (with per-sub-agent stop), recurring**workflows**, scheduled jobs, MCP servers, to-dos, dashboards, widgets, timers, and a layered, self-curating** memory**system.** Bring any model.**Anthropic, OpenAI, Groq, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock —*or*fully local models via the built-in**BYO Model** app (a self-contained Ollama that installs entirely inside`~/.zeus` ).**Self-contained integrations.** Need private web search or a managed browser? Zeus installs SearXNG, Chromium, and Ollama*inside*`~/.zeus` — nothing touches your system. `zeus start` · `stop` · `status` · `restart` · `logs -f` · `open` · `reset` . Runs a detached local server (uvicorn on `127.0.0.1:8756` ) and opens the UI. `zeus reset` wipes `~/.zeus` and starts factory-fresh (asks first). - One-URL web UI at `http://127.0.0.1:8756` , served`no-store` so edits show up on reload. **Installable PWA** with an offline page, app-launcher nav, and a touch-friendly mobile layout (centered popups, big tap targets, no horizontal scroll).**Tailscale built in:**`zeus start --tailscale` serves the app on your tailnet (`https://.ts.net` ) so your phone — logged into the same tailnet — can install and use Zeus from anywhere. Private by default. **Cloud:** Anthropic (API key), OpenAI, Groq, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock — paste a key and go. One model switcher, with per-model type badges (multimodal / text / tools) and editable context windows.**Local — the BYO Model app:** browse the full Ollama library, favorite the models you like, pull any model (with live progress + a stop button), and run them fully on-device. The Ollama binary*and*weights live entirely under`~/.zeus/ollama` on a private port — your system stays untouched. Vision models (e.g.`qwen3-vl` ,`llava` ) can see image attachments. - Build specialized **agents** with their own prompt, tools, model, and permission mode. - Agents **delegate to sub-agents**(configurable depth) and you can** stop a single sub-agent**from the live dock while the parent keeps working. - A **skills** library the agent loads on demand; agents can even author new skills and sub-agents. - Built-in tools: **Read / Write / Edit / Bash / Glob / Grep**, web search + fetch, and a vision-driven** browser**(a dedicated Chromium the agent clicks/types/scrolls by looking at screenshots). - A real embedded **terminal**(PTY + xterm.js),** file explorer**,** code editor**, and** git**panel. **Permission modes**—`default` (approve risky actions),`plan` (read-only),`acceptEdits` ,`autopilot` — plus lifecycle**hooks** for PreToolUse / PostToolUse / Stop / UserPromptSubmit. **Workflows:** multi-step agent pipelines on a**cron schedule**, on demand, or after every chat.** To-dos & stickies**,** timers & alarms**,** world clocks**, live** widgets & dashboards**, desktop** push notifications**, and a built-in** location**tool.** MCP servers**(stdio + HTTP/SSE) merge their tools into your agents. - Layered context — **Soul / Steering / User / Project**— loaded into every turn and prompt-cached so it's nearly free. **Model-driven curation:** a model periodically de-duplicates and prunes memory itself, keeping a small, high-signal core. Project memory follows your working directory; volatile state (which tools/models are connected) is never stored.**Smart context management:** dynamic per-model context windows, prompt caching, accurate token accounting, and in-turn compaction that clears stale tool outputs so long agentic runs don't blow past the window. SearXNG (private metasearch), a managed Chromium, and Ollama — each installs and runs **entirely inside ~/.zeus**, controllable from Settings → Integrations. Nothing is installed system-wide. A live performance monitor, themeable UI, a ⌘K command palette, per-tab working directories, multiple workspaces, image/PDF attachments, and spec-driven development tooling. ``` ./install.sh # creates backend/.venv, installs deps, symlinks `zeus` onto PATH zeus start # start + open the UI at http://127.0.0.1:8756 zeus start --tailscale # also serve on your tailnet (use it from your phone) ``` Then open the UI, connect a provider (or install a local model in **BYO Model**), and start chatting. Backend changes need `zeus restart` ; the frontend is no-build — just reload. **Requirements:** Python 3.11+ and macOS/Linux. State lives in `~/.zeus` (override with `ZEUS_HOME` ). Huge thanks and inspiration to **PewDiePie's Odysseus**, **openclaw**, and **hermes** — projects that showed what personal, local-first AI agents can be. Zeus took the spark and ran in its own direction: a full app you can hold in your hand. And enormous thanks to the open tools Zeus stands on: — local models, installed and run entirely inside[Ollama](https://ollama.com)`~/.zeus` .— private metasearch, self-hosted in[SearXNG](https://github.com/searxng/searxng)`~/.zeus` .— the dedicated browser the agent drives by vision.[Chromium](https://www.chromium.org)&[FastAPI](https://fastapi.tiangolo.com)— the backend and the embedded terminal.[xterm.js](https://xtermjs.org)- And every model provider Zeus connects to — **Anthropic, OpenAI, Groq, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock**. Zeus was **vibe coded with passion** — built for the joy of it. ⚡